Leveling shock absorber and strut assembly

Abstract

The present invention includes methods and apparatus for easily adjusting a shock and strut assembly to modify the ride height of a vehicle by providing one or more spacers to be placed between the lower spring seat mount and the spring seat plate that rests upon it in order to raise the ride height of a vehicle. Embodiments include a unique location for a lower spring seat mount. The position of the lower spring seat mount may be lowered to reduce the ride height of the vehicle, and one or more spacers may be inserted above the lower spring seat mount to raise the ride height of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adjustable vehicle strut assembly comprising:
 a. a shock absorber having a piston assembly extending from a first end of the shock absorber to a second end of the shock absorber; 
 b. a spring seat mount fixedly attached to the shock absorber at a position that is lower than that of a comparable factory shock absorber; 
 c. a lower spring plate movably deployed above said spring seat mount; and 
 d. at least one spacer slidably provided along said shock absorber between said spring seat mount and said lower spring plate, each such spacer having a uniform axial height, such that said lower spring plate rests on an uppermost spacer. 
 
     
     
       2. The strut assembly of  claim 1  wherein said spring seat mount comprises a lip around said shock absorber, said lip having an outside perimeter, and wherein each spacer has a central opening therein having an internal diameter that is smaller than the outside perimeter of said lip. 
     
     
       3. The strut assembly of  claim 2  wherein each spacer has an outside perimeter that is greater than the outside perimeter of said lip. 
     
     
       4. The strut assembly of  claim 2  wherein said at least one spacer comprises a plurality of spacers. 
     
     
       5. The strut assembly of  claim 4  wherein each spacer has the same height. 
     
     
       6. The strut assembly of  claim 4  wherein each spacer has a different height. 
     
     
       7. The strut assembly of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of spacers are selected from the group consisting of a spacer with a first height, a spacer with a second height, a spacer with a third height, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       8. The strut assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one spacer is operable to raise a height of said vehicle in a range from below to above a ride height of the originally manufactured vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The strut assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one spacer is operable to raise a height of at least one of a front end or a back end of the vehicle in a range from below to above a corresponding height of the originally manufactured vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The strut assembly of  claim 1  wherein said spring seat mount has an upper surface for abutting one of said spacers, said upper surface being perpendicular to an axis of said strut assembly. 
     
     
       11. An adjustable vehicle strut assembly comprising:
 a. a shock absorber having a piston assembly extending from a first end of the shock absorber to a second end of the shock absorber; 
 b. a spring seat mount fixedly attached to the shock absorber; 
 c. a lower spring plate movably deployed above said spring seat mount; and 
 d. at least one spacer slidably provided along said shock absorber between said lower spring seat mount and said spring plate, each such spacer having a uniform axial height, such that said lower spring plate rests on an uppermost spacer, 
 
       wherein said spring seat mount comprises a lip around said shock absorber, said lip having an outside perimeter, and wherein each spacer has a central opening therein having an internal diameter that is smaller than the outside perimeter of said lip and each spacer has an outside perimeter that is greater than the outside diameter of said lip. 
     
     
       12. The strut assembly of  claim 11  wherein said spring seat mount is secured to said shock absorber at a position lower than that of a comparable factory shock absorber. 
     
     
       13. The strut assembly of  claim 11  wherein said at least one spacer comprises a plurality of spacers. 
     
     
       14. The strut assembly of  claim 13  wherein each spacer has the same height. 
     
     
       15. The strut assembly of  claim 13  wherein said spacers have different heights. 
     
     
       16. The strut assembly of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of spacers are selected from the group consisting of a spacer with a first height, a spacer with a second height, a spacer with a third height, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       17. The strut assembly of  claim 11  wherein said at least one spacer is operable to raise a height of said vehicle in a range from below to above a ride height of the originally manufactured vehicle. 
     
     
       18. The strut assembly of  claim 11  wherein said at least one spacer is operable to raise a height of at least one of a front end or a back end of the vehicle in a range from below to above a corresponding height of the originally manufactured vehicle. 
     
     
       19. An adjustable vehicle strut assembly comprising:
 a. a shock absorber having a piston assembly extending from a first end of the shock absorber to a second end of the shock absorber; 
 b. a spring seat mount fixedly attached to the shock absorber at a position that is lower than that of a comparable factory shock absorber; 
 c. a lower spring plate movably deployed above said spring seat mount; and 
 d. at least one spacer slidably provided along said shock absorber between said spring seat mount and said lower spring plate such that said lower spring plate rests on an uppermost spacer, each spacer having an upper surface and a lower surface wherein said upper and lower surfaces are substantially parallel to each other. 
 
     
     
       20. The strut assembly of  claim 19  wherein said spring seat mount comprises a lip around said shock absorber, said lip having an outside perimeter, and wherein each spacer has a central opening therein having an internal diameter that is smaller than the outside perimeter of said lip. 
     
     
       21. The strut assembly of  claim 20  wherein each spacer has an outside perimeter that is greater than the outside perimeter of said lip. 
     
     
       22. The strut assembly of  claim 19  wherein said spring seat mount has an upper surface for abutting one of said spacers, said upper surface being perpendicular to an axis of said shock absorber of said strut assembly. 
     
     
       23. An adjustable vehicle strut assembly comprising:
 a. a shock absorber having a piston assembly extending from a first end of the shock absorber to a second end of the shock absorber; 
 b. a lower spring seat mount fixedly attached to the shock absorber; 
 c. a lower spring plate movably deployed above said lower spring seat mount; and 
 d. a plurality of spacers slidably provided along said shock absorber between said lower spring seat mount and said lower spring plate, each such spacer having a uniform axial height, such that said lower spring plate rests on an uppermost spacer. 
 
     
     
       24. The strut assembly of  claim 23  wherein said lower spring seat mount comprises a lip around said shock absorber, said lip having an outside perimeter, and wherein each spacer has a central opening therein having an internal diameter that is smaller than the outside perimeter of said lip. 
     
     
       25. An adjustable vehicle strut assembly comprising:
 a. a shock absorber having a piston assembly; 
 b. a lower spring seat mount fixedly attached to the piston assembly; 
 c. a lower spring seat movably positioned above said lower spring mount; and 
 d. a plurality of slidable means, each such means having a uniform height for supporting the lower spring seat and adjusting the height thereof.